Turret pockets - rear wheel arches

ScottyDog,

I am sure that you will not be the only one with the turrets in the same condition!! Yours looks exactly as mine did after I chipped away at it.

I conveniently covered it in underseal to get it through the MOT.. it is not an obvious area for the tester to look for unless he is familiar with the car!!

Since I have reported it, I have managed to purchase a new turret.. there is only one side left available, cost was something around the £20 mark.

Surprisingly, the shape of it is very complex and it is not a simple box shape as you would first suspect? I am currently in the process of having a pair manufactured out of stainless so that I never have the issue again.
Unfortunately I am having them manufactured as favour so will not be able to get any more made, however I can draw up all the dimensions for it if you want to make some up yourself. I may also have the original left over if you want to purchase - it all depends on how successful they turn out.

That is the easy bit!!

I have not tried removing the originals as yet, but I am not looking forward to removing the Roll bar mounting bolts, the side bolts to the suspension turrets should be easy. I think that it will be a question of making sure that you can get a good impact socket on the roll bar bolts and see if they can be turned, it will be murder to have to drill them out. You may even have to force a socket on to the head, because there doesn't seem much of the head left!!

With respect to the safety aspect, I have given this some thought??? I am sure that it serves to stiffen up the complete back end by having the rollbar bolted to the subframe, but I would like to think that the subframe is reasonably stiff without the need for the rollbar and is probably more critical for the support of the roll bar.

Comments on the above especially the removal of the rollbar bolts would be most welcome.

Good luck

Thanks Jeff.

If you could draw up something, or take a photo, and show the dimensions that would be much appreciated.

I've recently been given a welder so could put my new-found welding skills to use. Even if it's not perfect anything I make has got to be stronger than the rust on the car at the moment. And if I don't like the results I can get one made up anyway.

I think my first job is to start spraying penetration fluid around the bolts, probably several times during the next few days. I really do not fancy breaking those bolts and I bet they'll snap with almost no torque on them!

Jeff - I had a good chat with Paul Sage (Alpine Renault Restoration) today.

He's given us some good news ....

The rust is on the original lifting point from the factory assemble and not structural.

Jeff - I had a good chat with Paul Sage (Alpine Renault Restoration) today.

He's given us some good news ....

The rust is on the original lifting point from the factory assemble and not structural.

sounds a bit mad this!

i reeeeaaaaalllllllyyyyyyy dont think that Alpine fitted rust at the factory

Rust = Steel and as GTA's have a steel structure, i.e..... inner sills, centre tunnel, door pillars, front and rear sub frames, rear suspension turrets and saftey tubing around the roof to name a few i would say that it is stuctural.

If its rotten then cut it out and renew with non rust.

What he's said is that the boxes were receptacles for specially designed lifts used during the assembly process whilst lowering the body onto the subframe.

They're not structural sections themselves.

I asked Paul if he wouldn't mind adding to this post to explain in a little more detail.

Those "boxes" connect the rear turrets to the roll bar that runs above the rear glass through the fibreglass, as Paul T has pointed out earlier in this thread. I've seen the result of failure in this area, and it is of a rear tower collapsing inwards. Ignore these sections at your peril.

I've gone from being worried to relieved and back to worried

All you guys obviously know your stuff and I'm sure Paul does too, being a specialist and running a restoration company. The debate is interesting but the mixed message confusing. Anything to do with safety can't be ignored so I'll err on the side of caution.

I want to get this repaired anyway.I've also got several other jobs to do on the car including suspension and steering work. Seems I might have an expensive couple of months ahead. Can anyone lend me a fiver

[BIG_MVS]

Those "boxes" connect the rear turrets to the roll bar that runs above the rear glass through the fibreglass, as Paul T has pointed out earlier in this thread. I've seen the result of failure in this area, and it is of a rear tower collapsing inwards. Ignore these sections at your peril.

Yes but the turret collapsed after having extensive welding work done didn't it?

Like I said earlier, I'd leave well alone...............

the failure was nowhere near the welding work. The theory is that the welding strengthened an area which had previously been providing some "give" - the next weakest point then broke.

the failure was nowhere near the welding work. The theory is that the welding strengthened an area which had previously been providing some "give" - the next weakest point then broke.

That's a classic
How far do you think you could keep that going and still get paid ??

[BIG_MVS]

the failure was nowhere near the welding work. The theory is that the welding strengthened an area which had previously been providing some "give" - the next weakest point then broke.

Eh? But it was fine before though? Could the heat from welding have disturbed the bonding of the turret maybe?

Could Mr Sage comment on the non strutual box section theory at all?

[stephendell]

My money's on the heat fromn the welding melting the structural glue.

With the best intentions in the world, the way the fibreglass body is bonded to the shock towers cannot be relied apon as "structural" - sure, it's bonded, but the body is bonded to the chassis, the chassis takes the stresses and strains, reinforced by the fibreglass.

You just have to look at the base of the shock towers at how pitifully thin and what a colossal leverage the steel section is all in, if you assume that it's not supported at the top/outer lip.

For the record, the fibreglass is still very much attached to the tower. The glass cracked right alongside it and tore open like a sardine can.

These "boxes" we're talking about join the outer lip of the shock towers to the bar that runs through the roof above the rear screen. This is extremely strong, simple and perfectly sensible, but these boxes are absolutely critical.

If anyone wants to disagree with me, I suggest removing the two bolts that attach the tower to the "box" and see how far you get before catastrophic failure.

Have to agree ...Structural glue my asp,it aint F1 technology now is it Big bits of metal bolted or welded together is structural .

Have to agree ...Structural glue my asp,it aint F1 technology now is it Big bits of metal bolted or welded together is structural .

I'm with you on this one mucker!